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The Claim: This winter, put the spotlight on black, the hot colour of the season. The Yves Rocher eyeshadow and liner quad promises a sublime look in four simple steps. The four graduated shades are easy to mix and ideal for achieving a smoky look.

Test cases:

Jen McDonnell, managing editor, Dose.ca:

How long/how many times did you use the product?

I used it four times. (What? Fancy holiday parties are my new thing.)

What did you like about the product?

I’m usually a bit too intimidated to try the smoky eye look, but the instructions made it surprisingly idiot-proof. They clearly spelled out where and how to apply each of the four shades, making it easy to achieve a dramatic eye.

What didn't you like about the product?

I don’t know what it is about my eyes, but it’s really difficult to find an eyeshadow that doesn’t crease. This one was no exception. However, I found that it didn’t crease and lasted a long time if I wore a primer underneath (my favourite is Urban Decay’s Eyeshadow Primer Potion). Also, one of the shades was creamier than the others, which I found made it difficult to apply, especially if you were limited to the applicators that came in the compact.

Would you use it again and/or recommend it to other people?

I’m going to keep this compact, but will probably end up only using two of the shades again: the pearly white for highlighting and the glittery black for lining.

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Kat Angus, TV editor, Dose.ca:

How long/how many times did you use the product?

I don’t really wear makeup except for special occasions, so I only tried the Yves Rocher eye shadow once.

What did you like about the product?

Despite the dramatic colours of the palette (grey, black and silver), the final product definitely made my eyes pop without giving me Taylor Momsen-esque raccoon eyes. Adding the white/silver shadow to the inside corners of my eyes definitely helped make lighten the look and give it a little something extra.

What didn’t you like about the product?

When it comes to makeup (and all of my grooming, really), I like to keep things simple and easy, so the step-by-step instructions on the eye shadow were a little daunting. It turned out not to be that difficult, but anything that tells me to “sculpt” my makeup automatically makes me uneasy.

Would you use it again and/or recommend it to other people?

If you’re into the “smoky eye” look and aren’t afraid to be a little daring, this is definitely for you. I’d probably only use the Yves Rocher eye shadow for a fancy night on the town, but for an every day look, it would be overkill.

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Leah Collins, music editor, Dose.ca:

How long/how many times did you use the product?

Just once. My ultra-glamorous lifestyle of writing about celebrities from a desk in suburban Toronto doesn't always require a sultry, smoky-eye. Or then again, maybe it does...

What did you like about the product?

This basic, neutral colour palette of greys and silver is the sort of thing every gal -- even this admitted beauty dum-dum -- should have kicking around in her makeup bag, and the large compact mirror makes on-the-go application all the easier.

What didn’t you like about the product?

The creme shadow. The one non-powder colour in the palette caused me nothing but major crease-age. Though the creme colour goes on smoothly -- and thank Jebus for the special brush included with the compact -- it very quickly led to splotchy creasing on my eyelids. No thanks. Anything that tempts me to patch up my make-up mistakes with Taylor Momsen-style raccoon eyes is not a good thing.

Would you use it again and/or recommend it to other people?

For sure. The powder shadows apply smoothly and will survive a night out. I expect that the white/silver shade will be getting some extra love when I'm prepping for all my holiday parties.

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Miranda Furtado, style and social networking editor, Dose.ca:

How long/how many times did you use the product?

Once.

What did you like about the product?

I loved the directions. I thought that they were straight forward and easy to understand. The shades were great – the white iridescent was my favourite. It went on well and provided enough shimmer to make a difference but not too much to make me look like a makeup tester gone bad.

What didn't you like about the product?

I didn’t like the brushes that came with the Yves Rocher eye palette. For the blending required to achieve the smoky look, they weren’t sufficient, so I opted to use my own personal brushes. The downside to switching brushes is that they didn’t fit in the colour trays very well due to the narrow layout of the colours.

Would you use it again and/or recommend it to other people?

Definitely! I love a good smoky eye at night or for the weekend. I wouldn’t recommend the suggested direction for everyday use, though – unless you’re planning on recreating Taylor Momsen’s gothic look. Because of the size of the compact, this baby is great for stuffing in your purse to go from work to night on the town.

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I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.